Almond Poppy Seed Bread

I am an almond lover.  I love raw almonds, flavored almonds, almond extract, almond paste, almond anything!  When I saw this recipe in a magazine I subscribe to, I knew I had to try it.  This is a great bread to gift to friends, family, teachers, bus drivers, neighbors, or  anyone you want to share a delicious treat with.  (In fact, enter my giveaway and bake it in the cute foil pans I will send you if you win!)

Almond Poppy Seed Bread
Adapted from Cooking Light "Almond Bread"

6.75 ounces all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons poppy seed
⅔ cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 (7 ounce) package almond paste
2 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup almond milk

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds.

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, butter, oil, and almond paste. Mix at medium speed until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg. Beat in vanilla. At low speed, add half of the flour mixture and beat just until combined. Add almond milk and beat just until combined. Add remaining flour mixture and beat just until combined.

Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Yield: 1 loaf


Notes: If you do not have a kitchen scale, 6.75 ounces is a little more than 3/4 cup.  You can use this calculator to convert ounces to cups.  If you do not have almond milk, don't buy it just for this recipe.  Use regular milk.  I use almond milk because I have to buy it for myself every week and figured almond milk in almond bread was a perfect fit.  This is a moist and lovely cake; for added elegance sprinkle 1/4 cup sliced almonds on top before baking.

Only 8 more recipes until Christmas!